DETROIT -- Dominic Raiola stood by his locker late Sunday afternoon, pausing for a second to think about the question.

How big of a win was this for the Detroit Lions, a team that isn’t accustomed to being in first place in its division? Raiola has been around for a while, seen all the losing, answered the same questions about breaking streaks on the road.

About not being the same Lions teams they have been in the past.

Now, slowly, those questions are changing.

On Sunday, after a 40-32 win against Chicago, a win that puts the Lions -- yes, the Detroit Lions -- in first place in the NFC North a month into the season, a win was actually kind of a big deal.

“Let’s make no mistake about it. Division game, they’re undefeated. They are on top of our division feeling pretty good and we had to handle business,” Raiola said. “We’re at home, you’re supposed to win your home games, but this is a big game.

“Not taking anything away from them, they are a great team, but it was a total team effort. Turnovers. And we still didn’t play our best game. But it’s going to be a weekly proving ground for us. You have that one week where you slip up and guys will be like, ‘Oh, here they go.’”

Sure, the "here they go" could happen next week. Detroit goes to Green Bay -- a place where it hasn’t won since 1991 -- to face the usual class of the NFC North.

Even in Detroit’s dominance for three quarters Sunday, there was a glimpse of gloom and doom. The Lions watched a 24-point lead with 8:57 left in the game turn into an eight-point win. In years past, this would be cause for much nervousness in Detroit, that a lead might slip away again, that the Lions would find another almost inexplicable way to lose.

Except there is something undeniably different about this Lions team. Detroit intercepted Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler three times Sunday. In all prior games against Cutler, the Lions picked him off once. There were big-play sacks and pressures, making Cutler appear uncomfortable and always on the move. Then there is the offense, which no longer has just Calvin Johnson as the first, second and third options to make massive plays.

There are other options now. The offense now has two big threats -- Johnson and running back Reggie Bush, who took a hole and turned it into a 37-yard touchdown run to give the Lions a 30-10 lead in the first half.

Keep in mind, the Lions scored 40 points -- the first time they’ve done that since Week 3 of last season -- with Johnson catching only four passes for 44 yards. In many prior seasons, Johnson's numbers would have guaranteed a loss.

This season, it doesn't matter. Detroit won anyway.

“We have [No.] 21 over there,” Johnson said, referring to Bush. “That dude does special things out there every week. As long we can give him good support in the blocking game and we do our thing on the outside, we’re going to be all right.”

It would also matter little if not for Detroit’s defense. While much of the attention will be paid to Johnson and Bush, the Lions’ defensive line explains why they have been able to be dominant at points this season.

Detroit can use its front four, led by mammoth defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley, to pressure quarterbacks and place offensive lines completely off-kilter without having to send linebackers to blitz.

It was those two tackles who combined for a defensive touchdown Sunday. Suh forced a fumble by Cutler and Fairley returned it 4 yards for the score.

“As a defense, getting at a quarterback, any quarterback, you hit them enough times I’m sure they’ll get rattled,” Fairley said. “I think we hit him enough times to rattle him but he didn’t show it.

“As long as, as a defense and defensive line, we keep bringing pressure to the quarterback, then we’ll do a good job.”

There is a belief permeating this organization, not just among the offense or defense. There is a belief inside Ford Field and the team’s headquarters in Allen Park, Mich. There’s a feeling unlike other seasons. In those years, all Detroit wanted to do was win -- do anything the Lions could to win.

Now, it’s a feeling that they know they can win.

“I think we always believed,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “We always have. But we’re just playing good football right now and we continue to do it. We understand what has gotten us here is a lot of hard work and guys being dedicated to trying to do stuff the right way.

“And we’re going to continue to do that.”

Where this could take Detroit is the question. Thus far, it has brought the Lions an early divisional lead. To a team that looks, for now, like it could be in the race the rest of the season.

So Sunday? For the Lions? Yeah, Sunday meant something.

“Yeah, yeah, a lot,” said rookie cornerback Darius Slay, who has been around for none of the losing seasons Detroit has endured. “We’re No. 1 in the division now, right now. Anybody can say what they want to say.

“We 3-1 and we are up in the division. So, I mean, that’s all you can say.”

Detroit vs. EverybodyClowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right....

September 30th, 2013, 10:32 am

thelomasbrowns

Player of the Year - Offense

Joined: August 24th, 2010, 9:54 pmPosts: 2862

Re: ESPN: Beating Chicago a big deal for Detroit

I especially love this after Trestman's long rambling speech about how there are no rivalries in the NFL. He's like an on-the-spectrum Brian Kelly.

_________________"Good teams don't worry about a whole lot of stuff. They travel, they play, they win. And it doesn't matter where they go, what the time block is, all those kinds of things. They never seem to bother teams that play well, and we want to be one of those teams." -Jim Caldwell

September 30th, 2013, 10:36 am

I.E.

Walk On

Joined: September 11th, 2010, 10:19 pmPosts: 408

Re: ESPN: Beating Chicago a big deal for Detroit

thelomasbrowns wrote:

I especially love this after Trestman's long rambling speech about how there are no rivalries in the NFL. He's like an on-the-spectrum Brian Kelly.

Does that make you feel better, saying that?

You do realize that he was being sensitive to Lions fans, right? Did you find that insulting? What has Trestman done to deserve that kind of comment?

September 30th, 2013, 12:34 pm

thelomasbrowns

Player of the Year - Offense

Joined: August 24th, 2010, 9:54 pmPosts: 2862

Re: ESPN: Beating Chicago a big deal for Detroit

I.E. wrote:

thelomasbrowns wrote:

I especially love this after Trestman's long rambling speech about how there are no rivalries in the NFL. He's like an on-the-spectrum Brian Kelly.

Does that make you feel better, saying that?

You do realize that he was being sensitive to Lions fans, right? Did you find that insulting? What has Trestman done to deserve that kind of comment?

I thought it was a dumb comment on his part. I can understand if he thinks the Bears/Lions isn't a true rivalry, but to discount all rivalries out of respect to the other teams is absurd. That being said, I can see how my comment could offend so I apologize.

_________________"Good teams don't worry about a whole lot of stuff. They travel, they play, they win. And it doesn't matter where they go, what the time block is, all those kinds of things. They never seem to bother teams that play well, and we want to be one of those teams." -Jim Caldwell

September 30th, 2013, 12:49 pm

I.E.

Walk On

Joined: September 11th, 2010, 10:19 pmPosts: 408

Re: ESPN: Beating Chicago a big deal for Detroit

That's cool, man. Hey - insult Cutler! He deserves it, and he's the one who shat the bed yesterday... yikes!

September 30th, 2013, 12:53 pm

chilledmonkeybrains

Junior Varsity

Joined: March 11th, 2010, 4:39 pmPosts: 198

Re: ESPN: Beating Chicago a big deal for Detroit

I feel like I did when Florida State beat Florida after losing the last 8 or so:

I wanted to turn around to the Florida fans behind me and be a complete rectum, to give back everything that was dished out to me for so long. I didn't though, because then I would've been just like them.

Sunday I called a long time friend and Bears fan and instead of ripping him a new a-hole, I told him I was glad we got one b/c soldier field will be a tough game to win for us. Respekt!

Go Lions! RB21 is amazing!

_________________Slow is smooth, smooth is steady, steady is fast!

September 30th, 2013, 12:58 pm

kdsberman

League MVP

Joined: February 20th, 2007, 10:51 pmPosts: 3527Location: Saginaw, MI

Re: ESPN: Beating Chicago a big deal for Detroit

chilledmonkeybrains wrote:

I feel like I did when Florida State beat Florida after losing the last 8 or so:

I wanted to turn around to the Florida fans behind me and be a complete rectum, to give back everything that was dished out to me for so long. I didn't though, because then I would've been just like them.

Sunday I called a long time friend and Bears fan and instead of ripping him a new a-hole, I told him I was glad we got one b/c soldier field will be a tough game to win for us. Respekt!

Go Lions! RB21 is amazing!

Same thing I thought after MSU beat UofM 4 straight years......"dont say anything...dont be like them...remember why you became a state fan? Yeah...because you didnt want to be associated with that arrogant fan base"..

Go Green! or...i mean uh...GO LIONS!!

September 30th, 2013, 3:16 pm

devildog

Junior Varsity

Joined: November 26th, 2005, 11:47 amPosts: 186Location: New Albany, IN

Re: ESPN: Beating Chicago a big deal for Detroit

kdsberman wrote:

chilledmonkeybrains wrote:

I feel like I did when Florida State beat Florida after losing the last 8 or so:

I wanted to turn around to the Florida fans behind me and be a complete rectum, to give back everything that was dished out to me for so long. I didn't though, because then I would've been just like them.

Sunday I called a long time friend and Bears fan and instead of ripping him a new a-hole, I told him I was glad we got one b/c soldier field will be a tough game to win for us. Respekt!

Go Lions! RB21 is amazing!

Same thing I thought after MSU beat UofM 4 straight years......"dont say anything...dont be like them...remember why you became a state fan? Yeah...because you didnt want to be associated with that arrogant fan base"..

Go Green! or...i mean uh...GO LIONS!!

The heck with that. Call them back and tell them to kya. What do you think Kentucky fans are going to say to Florida when hell freezes over and KY wins one?

_________________I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man that rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then question the manner in which I provide it.

September 30th, 2013, 4:26 pm

HechePipe

Pop Warner Allstar

Joined: September 23rd, 2013, 1:09 pmPosts: 146

Re: ESPN: Beating Chicago a big deal for Detroit

Oh stop that nonsense nj. Let's all just be fans of every team! That way everyone will be super-classy, no harsh words will be spoken and everyone will just go around patting each other on the back. Why have a favorite team at all?You can't say the Bears aren't very good this year without ten people to jump down your throat.

Who am I kidding? The Bears are wonderful and each and every Bears fan is a delightful human being!

GO BEARS! GO TRESTMAN!

September 30th, 2013, 6:52 pm

Killwill25

Rookie Player of the Year

Joined: March 5th, 2009, 8:42 pmPosts: 2422Location: Brooklyn, NY

Re: ESPN: Beating Chicago a big deal for Detroit

I'll be honest. After beating the Bears, I was pumped about the prospect of getting on here and S*** talking the hell out of I.E. but then I glanced over the posts and just couldn't do it. So I called my dad(die-hard Bears fan) and S*** talked the hell out of him.

_________________Just one Super Bowl win before I go!

October 1st, 2013, 1:25 am

The Legend

Team President - Rod Wood

Joined: February 11th, 2005, 3:01 pmPosts: 4930Location: WSU

Re: ESPN: Beating Chicago a big deal for Detroit

getting back on track to the original post this game was a measuring stick to a certain degree. minnesota and washington have pretty much fallen on there faces so beating a team who s had some success is a positive indicator of whats to come

October 1st, 2013, 8:32 am

chilledmonkeybrains

Junior Varsity

Joined: March 11th, 2010, 4:39 pmPosts: 198

Re: ESPN: Beating Chicago a big deal for Detroit

The Legend wrote:

getting back on track to the original post this game was a measuring stick to a certain degree. minnesota and washington have pretty much fallen on there faces so beating a team who s had some success is a positive indicator of whats to come

Of course it will really only matter at the end of the season to see which teams that we beat that had a winning record. I've already seen that we have "the easiest schedule" in the NFL. How can that even be said until the end of the season (statistically adjusted).

I am very happy about the win and hope the Leos take this momentum into Lambeau and break another bad streak - it gives me much hope... UH OH!!!